


Who is Two?

by cataleya



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe, Spoilers, Taken By The Rift
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-11
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-04 23:42:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/716410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cataleya/pseuds/cataleya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack Harkness and the Torchwood gang become embroiled in a mystery that stretches through out Time and Space when they save a young woman with brutal injuries. The origins of her injuries are just the start as the team works to piece together her identity and her perplexing knowledge of the team and of Jack Harkness's elusive Doctor. (Re-write In-Progress due to demand for updates.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Coming Through the Rift

Jack and Gwen ran down an alley as their target was slowly drawing closer. _‘Almost got you’_ , ran through Jack’s mind as they rounded a corner. Their target was approaching the street. She seemed confused and utterly terrified. Jack could tell a female when he saw one, well, for most cases that were true at least, and based on the figure and the fact that her clothes appeared to be from this planet and of this time period he was sure that this was a humanoid female. If she was human from the present, it didn’t seem likely that she would have come through the rift. However, the recent disturbance in the rift hadn’t been a typical one.

It was early morning during midweek and running through Cardiff at 3AM wasn’t necessarily what they’d all had in mind, but a few hours ago a sharp jump in energy readings from the rift had been more than enough to get them all up out of bed. Once they’d all assembled at headquarters, Ianto and Tosh set up a search grid based on readings of remnant rift energy in the area. “Having trouble narrowing it down, Jack. That surge was like nothing we’ve seen before. It’s blanketed Cardiff and we’re having a hard time making out anything distinct.” Tosh’s hands worked deftly at the keyboard, but the furrowing of her brow told Jack Harkness all that he needed to know. “I suppose we’ll have to do this the old fashioned way then.” Running his fingers under his suspenders and taking a deep breath, he left for his office.  Sitting at his desk with a glass of water, he turned on a police scanner and sat patiently, reading through some long-ignored file. A robbery here, a fire there, nothing out of the ordinary until a call from a patrolman came through. He listened closely as the patrolman relayed his encounter.

Grabbing his coat, he called out to the team to get their gear and they set out in search. “A call came through about a young woman who was found stumbling through a back alley. She apparently had some sort of head wound and was bleeding profusely but despite not only her size and injuries, she was able to overpower two officers and run away faster than they could chase. They also said that she kept mumbling something about it all being wrong. That ‘this isn’t the right one’… “

Owen, always the skeptic, was incredulous. “Sounds like she was on the wrong end of a domestic if you ask me. Nothing special.”

“Well, if you’d let me finish, I could tell you the best part. One of the officers said that she started to glow. All of her visible skin had started to emit a “golden light”.” Jack finished.

“Okay, it’s an alien.” Owen conceded. “What’s our plan then exactly?”

Jack was driving quickly through the city streets and there was a wondering look on his face. Owen could see the ideas and possibilities whizzing through his mind. “Catch her… it” he corrected himself. “That surge in the rift could be the start of something deeper and much more menacing. If we find the girl, maybe we can get some information on just what exactly is going on.” Jack’s attention shifted to his comms unit. “Ianto, keep an eye on the scanner and notify me if any reports of glowing people come through.”

That’s when they spotted the girl and Jack and Gwen had given chase on foot. Just before the girl was able to reach the street, Owen brought the SUV to a halt in front of the alley, blocking all escape routes for the girl. It was grey out now, and dawn was slowly approaching. Owen hopped out of the car and drew his weapon. At the sight of the gun, the girl raised her hands. She was gasping for air, her chest heaving. In the dim light, normally you wouldn’t be able to her features, but the officer had been true when he said that she was glowing. Her hooded face and her bare hands seemed to stand against the dark with a dull golden glow. Jack and Gwen approached her slowly, weapons drawn. Jack spoke first,

“Don’t be scared, we just want to help. What are you? Where and when are you from?” He wasn’t hopeful that she would be able to understand him and respond. They usually didn’t speak the same language and unfortunately more than a few had been less than friendly. He was not disappointed then, when the alien held silent except for the ragged terrified breaths. Jack could see the fear in her face and manner. ‘ _If I approach one of a few things will happen, she’ll fight, she’ll try and run or she’ll resign herself to the situation._ ’ He was banking on the last option. Deciding that a show of faith was the only reasonable next move besides tazing or shooting the woman, Jack lowered his weapon and placed it on the ground. “Alright, look, I’m putting my weapon down. I don’t want to hurt you. We just want to help you.” He slowly stepped closer, moving into the light cast by the lamps in the street. As it illuminated his face, the young woman gasped.

“You… You’re Captain Jack Harkness.” She rasped out in between her gulps for air. “I’m here, in your world?” At that she dropped to her knees, her body swaying dangerously. Jack ran in and caught her. She looked him in the eyes with utter disbelief, then, her eyelids flitted open and shut as she unsuccessfully struggled to remain conscious. She grabbed Jack’s lapel and dug her bloodied face into his coat as she drifted into the dark. Her breathing slowed and her hand fell limp. Readjusting himself, Jack pushed back her hood and noticed for the first time, that she had long orange hair. Confused, he scanned her face, searching for recognition.

“Jack. She knew who you were. Who is she?” Gwen was not surprised that an alien knew who Jack was. It had happened way too often for that. What did surprise her was his response.

He lifted a lock of red and eyed it curiously. “I have no idea… I’ve never met this woman in my entire life… and that is saying something.”


	2. Her Battered Body

The alien was dying. The wound to her head had been deep and she had lost too much blood. If she hadn't been glowing, the hospital would have been their next stop. The only thing left to do, Jack decided, was to take her back to headquarters and try to get as much information out of her as possible. Jack ignored all traffic laws on their way back, something pushing him to drive faster and more wild than usual. Gwen held the woman close, as Owen tried his best to tend her wounds. They were being thrown about the cabin as Jack rushed back to base. As they pulled into the lot, the intensity of the glow increased and the alien drifted back into consciousness. She shifted, her body tensing from the pain that followed. Her eyes shot open, darting left and right between Gwen and Owen. Her mouth started moving like she was trying to speak but only mumbled incoherent syllables could be heard. Gwen and Owen exchanged confused looks. They leaned in to listen closer, but all they could make out was, "Is… Dying… Returning… Burning…" "Make any sense, Owen?" Gwen pulled the woman tighter trying to stop her from writhing around. Blood was again flowing freely from the alien's wound and it quickly stained Gwen's shirt. The smell inside the car was a disgusting mix of sweat, hot breath, and blood. Jack halted abruptly and climbed out. Opening the back door, he immediately took the young woman in his arms and started for the entryway. Ianto was waiting with the door open, positioned to help as needed.

Jack, ignoring everything but the young woman, burst past him. Her mumbling was growing louder but every time she started a phrase, Jack's rushed, long strides caused her lolling head to bobble, eliciting groans and making her lose focus. ' _She's fading, and fast'._  He looked down into her tear-filled eyes. He started to feel despair, hope fading away as quickly as the woman. Something about her was familiar and he desperately wanted to find out. He did not want to lose her, but he knew there was little hope. She looked so young, except her eyes that is, which betrayed such a depth that you would have thought she'd seen the entirety of time and space.  _Such a beautiful color_ , he remarked to himself. Her eyes were a deep-layered hazel, so many facets, so many colors and tints. As he continued to make his way to the morgue, he noticed she was staring at him intently. She was suppressing her groans of pain as she brought her previously limp arm up to his chest, grabbing a handful of his jacket, trying to pull him close as if to tell him something. She was still mumbling and the phrases fell out jumbled, meaning nothing to anyone but her.

Finally reaching the exam table, he set her down as gently as he could. Her head clung to his sleeve, the two stuck together with thickened blood. Despite his efforts, she moaned loudly and started tossing and turning in apparent agony. Jack looked down at her and his brow furrowed. There was not much he could do to assuage it. He needed information and this was his best lead, his ONLY lead in fact. But seeing the beads of sweat and blood running down her face was enough to make him waver as the rest of the team filed in.

"Owen, give her something. Just enough to take the edge off. We still need her to talk." Jack threw down his comms unit and tossed his bloodied jacket up to Ianto who draped it over the railing. Jack rolled up his sleeves and watched as Owen gave the woman a small dose of Morphine. They bound her arms and legs, trying to prevent her from writhing off the table. The woman's breathing slowed and her eyes began to cloud and Jack could see that they didn't have much time. Leaning over her, he did his best to be concise. "Who are you?" No response. She didn't appear to even hear him. Jack noticed that her mumbling was now taking a rhythmic shape, as if it were a song. "Where and when are you from? Are you human?"

Owen moved in, exasperated by the woman's lack of response. "You're bloody glowing. We know you are not from  _this_  planet. So who the hell are you, then?" The alien closed her eyes and mouth as if she was trying to shut everything and everyone out. She hummed loudly, the mumbling rhythm now becoming a tune. The pain killers hadn't done a single, damn thing to alleviate her suffering. She was losing her mind as she drowned in the agony. Frustration and hopeless despair were what Jack felt. He was starting to lose control of his emotions. Turning away, Jack slammed a nearby desk with his fists. He stood there, allowing himself to focus on the throbbing in his arms. He didn't notice the alien's eyes flash open and stare at the bright exam lights above her. He  _did_  notice when she began to sing. Her voice was raw. No one could tell whether it was the insane mutterings of the near-dead and or the deep insights of someone who knows the future. Whatever it was, it was completely mesmerizing.

_"It is returning through the dark_

_Doctor, you have met your mark._

_Your song is ending, so don't cry,_

_When you hear him knock four times."_

At the mention of The Doctor, Jack spun around in shocked confusion. No one moved. Not even a breath was heard. She was singing as if the Doctor was in the room with them. He listened, utterly absorbed, not daring to move an inch, lest he break her trance.

_"You're going to regenerate,_

_Some new man saunters away,_

_No time for games tonight we fight,_

_For the fate of all mankind."_

_'Who are you? How do you know the Doctor?'_  Both thoughts ran through Jack's mind, but above all else, he wanted to know what the hell she was talking about. Any fights for "the fate of all mankind" would certainly include Jack Harkness if he had any say in it. Her answer caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up.

_"The Time Lords returning, the earth will be burning,_

_The last white point star is a trap for the Master._

_The Doctor is dying, the Doctor is dying._

_The Doctor is dying, the Doctor is dying._

Jack was reeling. This was incredible and unbelievable. He was in awe when suddenly her voice changed. She cried out in pain.

_I don't want to go..._

_I don't want to go..."_

Something about that phrase made tears well up in Jack's eyes. The woman's expression was so pained. The song seemed endless. Jack did not move, did not dare breathe. Sweat covered his face mingling with the tears as they fell.

_Just one more thing before you fall,_

_You'll be getting your reward._

_Back in time for those you know,_

_Martha, Donna, Jack, and Rose."_

Every eye in the room was now upon Jack. As she sang his name, the Alien had turned to look at him. Jack stood motionless as the tears were falling silently onto his cheeks. The Alien's gaze was intense. Anyone else would have shied away, but Jack held it.

Silence. Jack and the alien just stared into each other. Then she raised her hand, beckoning him over. He moved towards her. She reached out and Jack leaned down, moving closer to her. She placed a bloodied hand on his face and heartbroken, she said,

"…And I'm so sorry, Jack. I really am, but there is nothing that you can do to stop any of it from happening."

She closed her eyes and the memories began to flood the Captain's mind. Images of bright lights, of powerful gods, of a resurrected madman, of a brave old soldier and lastly, of the familiar face of an old friend.

A whirring mess of thoughts and questions ran through his mind. He backed away from the table, ceasing the flow. He replied, "Time can be rewritten." He expected what came next, but he didn't want to hear it. "Not this event… It's a fixed point." Her eyes were once again clouding and she couldn't train her eyes on anything in particular. She did seem solemn and completely earnest but Jack needed more than that. "How do you know? Tell me who you are." He hovered over her so that she couldn't look away. Everything she had said terrified him, but only if it was true. His emotions were getting the better of him but he didn't care. She chortled. "As for the how, I do know that this event takes place in other universes, just as I have told it... In regards to who I am, you will know in time. I have one thing to say to you and to your team… You must listen to me… very closely…" They all unconsciously leaned in to hear. Her breathing was growing shallow and quickening in pace. She was but minutes if not seconds away from death.

"Run… Get out of here. You know that I can't stop the process once it's started and in a small room like this, the amount of energy released will vaporize anyone in here. So, run Jack Harkness." With that, the glow coming from the alien spiked and golden particles started to surge away from her skin. Realization dawned on Jack. He smiled and turned to his team.

"We've got to get out of here. Seal this area off as best you can, but after that get to a designated safe zone." He signaled for Ianto to toss down his jacket. Gwen gaped, "What is she, Jack? What's happening?" Pulling his coat on, his smile broadened and racing up the steps he answered her question. "She's a Time Lord… and she's regenerating! Ha!"

They rushed out of the morgue, Owen hit the quarantine button and a door dropped from the ceiling just as the Time Lord screamed.


	3. So Many Parts

Their base seemed to be falling apart. Items flew from their respective positions as if they intended to crush the team. Panels, pipes and wires fell hazardously into the squad room. The situation was growing more and more dangerous when suddenly the Earth halted it movement and the hot, golden particles no longer emanated from the morgue. In the eerie silence, everyone sat on the floor, checking for injuries and trying to catch their breath. Jack as usual, was the first to collect himself and rise to check the others. A panel had fallen on Ianto’s head, leaving him with a good gash but everyone else emerged unscathed. Jack called Owen over to tend to him, and turned his attention to the morgue. The lights were flickering back on in the squad room but all the lights were off save the red alarm lights inside the morgue. 

  
Gwen and Tosh came up as Jack typed in the codes for the quarantine shut-down. The red lights that had marked the alarm shut off and the door lifted awkwardly open half-way. Jack and Gwen moved to push it open fully. With a few shoves, the door gave way and slid open. As their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they took their first look about the room. Sparks fell from the exposed wires and cables and just about everything in the room was singed. There was however, no sign of the Time Lord who had caused all of this madness. The table where they had strapped the girl lay vacant. Making their way down the steps they finally saw her. She had rolled off the table during the process and now lay unmoving on the floor. Jack called out. “Tosh, get a few torches down here!” A few seconds without a reply and Jack peered up to the door, slightly frustrated. “Toshiko!”  


Tosh responded, “Don’t worry, I’ll do you one better!” and with that, emergency lights came on in the room and Jack and Gwen made their way to the girl despite live wires blocking their route several times. Jack lowered himself beside the Time Lord. Even before he could see her face, he noticed a few differences between this regeneration and the last. Her hair, which had fallen about shoulder-length and had been almost impossibly straight before, now fell in loose, beautiful curls. The blood that had nearly matted her hair before was gone and it now shone. She was also quite a bit taller.  


Sliding his hand under her back, Jack slowly turned her over. Softly brushing her curls aside, Jack smiled. She had definitely changed. It brought back memories of The Doctor and how different his regeneration had looked. She had been girlish before. This new body was much more mature in appearance. Her face was more defined, with high cheek bones. He could feel the muscles in her arms as he rolled her over. Of course he may have happened to notice some other changes in his analysis of her new form. She was curvier and Jack couldn’t help but notice the change in her bust size. Cradling her head in his lap, Jack checked her vitals, which though weak, were steadily growing stronger. Gwen meanwhile had stood staring, in awe. “That is the same person? If I hadn’t known better…” She trailed off as she stepped in to get a better look. “It’s incredible.” Gwen smiled.  


Jack cupped her cheek in his hand and his head tilted slightly to the side. For an instant, recognition seemed to hit him, but it faded before he could put a name to the face. The touch was enough to bring the Time Lord back to consciousness. Her eyes opened slightly but closed again because of the light. 

“Hi.” She said calmly. After everything that had happened that night, Jack couldn’t hold back a hearty laugh at the greeting. Showing a broad grin he returned it. “Hi.” The Time Lord made a move to rise, and Jack and Gwen each gave a hand to help her to her feet. She didn’t last long in that position, causing Jack to pick her up just as he had when he brought her in. She wrapped her arms around his neck as Jack and Gwen made their way out the mess of what was left of the morgue. Owen, Ianto and Tosh were in the conference room, which had held up surprisingly well. Placing the woman softly in a chair, Jack took one for himself. Tosh and Ianto had been running diagnostics on the system when Jack and Gwen had come in, but all eyes were now on Jack and the alien. The woman looked about the room and meekly smiled. “Hello Torchwood. Gwen, Owen, Toshiko and… oh, Ianto, your head.” She saw the blood and the quick stitches. “I would get up, but I don’t think I can just yet, so would you come over here? I can help… if you’d like.” She gestured to his head. Ianto looked at Jack, unsure. Jack’s gaze turned to the Time Lord and seeing her eyes, gave Ianto a quick nod. Rising, Ianto crossed the room and knelt in front of the woman. She lifted a hand and Ianto flinched, anticipating an attack. “Don’t worry, this shouldn’t hurt at all.” As she spoke her hand began to glow again as she placed it over Ianto’s wound. He felt an itching sensation as the flesh pulled itself together and the stitches were pushed out of the skin falling onto the floor. After a second, she pulled her hand away and fell back into the chair, sweating.  


Ianto felt the place where the wound had been. Not a scratch, no trace of blood and the throbbing pain that had been distracting him was gone. Shocked, he turned to face the rest of the group. They reflected his shock with amazed looks of their own. Ianto, returned his attention to the Time Lord. “Thank you. I mean it.” “No problem, Ianto Jones.” They smiled at each other warmly and Ianto rose to go back to his work. Owen, who was across the table from Jack and the alien, was the first to get down to business. “You know our names, but we don’t know yours. Who are you?” “Good question.” Jack confirmed. “Well, I’m sorry if everything is a bit fuzzy right now. My personality has changed and I’ll have to test it out, to figure out exactly who I am now. But if you want to know my name you’ll be disappointed to find out that I haven’t one. At least not a Time Lord title, anyway. Seeing as this is my second incarnation, I guess you can call me Two. Oh, that’s quite a bit of rubbish really, oh well. No title, no complaining, as the old saying goes… I think.” Two sat confused, looking off into the distance thoughtfully. Gwen interrupted her musings. “So you are actually a Time Lord?” Owen piped in. “Doesn’t that make you a Time Lady? I mean you are a woman, right?” With that he took quite a long take of her.  


Unconsciously covering up as she followed his eyes, Two swallowed. “Well, um…It’s not exactly black and white when it comes to Time Lords.” She scowled at him, uncomfortable. Turning to face Jack, she looked for some support, but he had an eyebrow raised and a strange look on his face. “Well, everything I’ve heard about you Jack Harkness was proven true with that one look.” Jack snapped out of his fantasy. “So we’ve never met before?” “No, unfortunately I’ve never had the pleasure.” She smirked at him as if she knew more about him than she was letting on. “So you’re from Gallifrey. How’d you esca…” Two cut Jack off. “I’ll stop you there. I’m actually from Earth.” “What? More Time Lords on Earth? How old are you? Why hasn’t The Doctor mentioned you or your family?” Two leaned back into the chair, exasperated. “Is there a rush with this? I’m exhausted. I could do with a hot cup of tea and a nice bed, cot, whatever you got. Sort of a family regeneration remedy, that is. A cup of tea. Supposedly the best thing for it really.” Two said as she slowly rose to her feet. Jack could tell she wasn’t going to say anymore, not now at least. It was nearly dawn at this point, and the sweat on Two’s brow made it obvious that the effort to keep awake was taxing her. She stood waiting for his permission though, like a child would. He wondered how old she really was. Jack knew that the outside didn’t always match the age when it came to Time Lords, but how much older was she? Or, how much younger? “Yeah. Sure. Gwen, get her some clothes and show her someplace to sleep.” Throwing Gwen a look, he knew that the Time Lord would not be too happy when she realized where she would be sleeping. Janet never did give a warm welcome to new cell-block mates.


	4. Familiarity

Jack was shocked as he watched Gwen take Two to her cell. When greeted with Janet, their pet Weevil, Two hadn’t reacted at all except to ask why they kept the poor thing prisoner. It had reminded Jack of the Doctor. Wearing a black t-shirt and zip-up hoodie, a pair of Gwen’s faded jeans and the trainers that she’d come through the rift with, Two stepped into the cell, bid Gwen good night as she locked the door and then laid down on the slab that made up her bed, with her face away from the camera. To anyone else, it would have looked as if she was asleep, but Jack knew better. He could see the slight shaking of her shoulders as she silently sobbed, awake and utterly alone in her cell. She pulled a photo out of her pocket and looked at. It didn’t seem to console at all. Jack could hear her now and see her whole body shake. Rising, he left the others and went down to the vaults. Noiselessly he made his way to her. He stood in front of the cell just for a moment deciding whether or not to go in, before he typed in the code and the door swung open for him. She’d heard him, but not until he was knelt beside her did she acknowledge him. She sat up, took hold of him and pressed her face into his chest. He pulled her tight against him with one arm and held her head softly with the other. Looking down, he saw the tears streaming endlessly down her cheeks. Jack was confused. _‘She’s so familiar with me. She said she’d never met me and yet, she knows me, trusts me and more surprisingly, I trust her… Who are you?’_

Looking at the cell wall, through tear-filled eyes, Two burst out. “Oh God! I miss them so much Jack! Why?! Why did this have to happen to me? I wish I could have just stayed home. All the things, the places, the people that I’ve seen, none of it matters. I just… I want to go home.” In that moment, he knew that this great Time Lord was nothing more than a child. A brave lost child, forging her way in the dark. The only thing he could do was hold her in his arms. He held her until he couldn’t tell how long it’d been. After a while, her sobs quieted and her exhausted body gave in to sleep. He laid her down on the slab and left as silent as he had come.

As he approached the conference room, Owen ran out looking for him. “What is it?” Owen waved him in. “We’ve had reports of two ‘robotic-men’ searching houses near the area of the latest rift disturbance. From what we’re getting, the two men are breaking into homes, searching them, scanning the residents, and leaving. Nothing has been reported stolen from any of the homes.” Jack stretched out his suddenly tight back. “Obviously they haven’t found what they’re looking for.” “And what’s that?” Gwen asked. “I think I have an idea.” Ianto pointed at the tv screen, more specifically at the Time Lord who was fast asleep in the cell. “I mean, it makes sense. She comes through the rift mortally wounded, and now two aliens are here, searching for someone. Sounds like some sort of Cyborg assassins... Jack, what do you think?” Jack, looked around the room. “I think, Ianto’s right and we need to find and neutralize them before somebody gets killed.” He unconsciously looked at the screen. “Alright, Tosh call off the police before they do something stupid. Ianto keep an eye on her.” He gestured to Two on the screen. “Yes boss.” Ianto said as Jack rushed out. Jack stopped, leaning back through the door, his best flirty smile on. “I love it when you call me boss.” Gwen pulled him out the door and they made their way to the Land Rover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks so much for sticking with it. If you have any constructive criticism to make, please do so. I'm always looking to improve.


End file.
